Growth

Praisers of Piety

I recently completed a survey on Christianity. The survey was intended for people who were disgruntled or otherwise disillusioned with the present-day practice of the faith, and although I was a little concerned that I was chosen as a possible candidate, I took the survey anyway. One of the questions was in regards to how I felt modern day Christians integrate their faith with their intelligence. I wish I could remember the exact wording of the question, but basically the researcher wanted to know whether I believed that Christians checked their brains at the door.

As I’ve written in this space previously, this is not a question that is unfamiliar to me. After all, I believe a lot of people who were raised in the church, choose to abandon the practice because they thought that there was something intellectually remiss. Whether or not this perception was reality, I couldn’t say, but its one of those cases where perceptions count for everything. Many individuals can not intellectually defend their faith so they either chuck it or choose to hold it dispassionately.

There are, however, people who are at the other end of the spectrum. These individuals give intellectual accedence to their faith, but never let it impact their heart. They believe that God is real, but don’t have a relationship with Him. Their minds say that there must be a power greater than themselves but they refuse to conform their will to that of the Other. Maybe their condition can be best summed up by the man who cried “Lord I believe, Help my unbelief”.

And this problem isn’t a new one. In 1728 William Law gave the following explanation for why some people seem never to progress in their faith. ” Now the reason of it is this: it is because religion lives only in their head, but something else has possession of their heart; and therefore they continue from year to year mere admirers and praisers of piety, without ever coming up to the reality and perfection of its precepts.” Being a praisers of piety, an advocate for what’s right is good. Being a practicer of these precepts is even better.

May we never settle for merely being an advocate of good things. May we be ambassadors for the only One deserves to be called good.

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Growth

Assorted Thoughts On Life

It’s amazing what you can learn from junior high students. I tell people that if you want a lesson in perspective hang out with some middle school students for a few hours each week. You learn a lot about what’s important and what’s not, and you laugh – A LOT.

Tonight, as I attempted to teach several seventh grade girls how God responds to deeds done in faith by crediting it to us as righteousness I received a lesson on the difference between temptation and testing. We’re studying the book of James, and in chapter one the writer shares that 1) Trials should be counted as joy 2) Joy comes from knowing that testing helps develop us into the people that God wants us to be and that 3) Temptation comes from the devil, not from God. Although our plan for tonight was to finish the 2nd chapter it did not stop us from going back and revisiting the lessons from the early verse. And of course these verses beg the question – how do you know the difference between testing and temptation? Often times they can feel the same and both are definitely difficult, so how can we differentiate the two. Although, I am by no means a Biblical scholar, this is what I shared:

1) Testing never has to do with a moral truth, because when God has clearly articulated what’s right and wrong, He’ll never encourage us to do something that’s against His commands

2) Testing is for our good; God uses it to bring us closer to Him. Temptation is for our detriment; the Devil uses it to pull us away from God.

3) Testing is for a finite time; temptation can be a lifelong struggle.

4) God always provides a way to pass the test; however there are no short-cuts we must go through the trial. Temptation is not a requirement; it’s a lousy bi-product of living in a fallen world.

5) Temptations require resistance, testing requires acceptance.

Coincidentally (or maybe not) upon coming home, I returned to a message from my friend depicting a difficult time that she is going through. She asked if stretching always occurred when one tries to grow. My edited response follows:

I think stretching occurs when God is trying to grow you. It’s like the growing pains that occur before growths spurts. Your bones are preparing to take on the additional height and weight that your body knows is coming. It seems counterintuitive that they would hurt before the actual growth occurs, but they often do. It’s a sign that our bodies are going through a change. It’s a natural process and something that must occur for our betterment, but it’s painful just the same.

The important thing to remember when you’re stuck between a rock and hard place is that it was while Elijah was crammed in a crevice that God decided to show him His glory. The rock and the hard place provided a barrier that prevents us from moving forward until God has shown us what He wants. Being there is no fun, but in the long run, it’s worth it.

If you’re going through a trial and feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, look for how God wants to demonstrate His glory. It’s why we go through testing to begin with.

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